I’d been late too. I’d missed the opportunity to swim under the water with Kisamoa and the others, and to be perfectly honest if I’d been given the opportunity I’m not entirely sure if I would have been brave enough to take the Sea God’s offer. Especially without Virga or Papa there. It certainly seemed like it had been something exciting because Everly had spotted the crowd from above.  However by the time I’d gotten here, the crowd was already dispersing.

I stood for a moment, crestfallen at first after realizing that I’d missed out on something important. Everly let out a sharp call and swooped closer to me as she flew another pass of the beach, picking up on the momentary flicker of sadness.  I absentmindedly flicked at a rock with one of my cloven hooves in frustration before turning my bright silver gaze to my surroundings.  Surely there was something else to do even though the others were rapidly abandoning the beach now that Sea God’s activity had ceased and he’d disappeared once again. 

Again it was Everly who drew my attention away, her own interest and excitement drawing my eye away from the shore.  When I finally turned to look at what was so interesting, I was surprised to find that the little zephyr had found a colt just a little bit younger than I was.  A colt who looked just as dejected as I felt...perhaps more so.  

I watched as the boy threw himself into the shoreline in a very…dramatic fashion and it was difficult stifle the giggle that threatened to burst from my lips.  I stepped over to where he lay in the gentle lapping waves, careful to make enough noise that I didn’t scare him.  I peered down at him, my head cocked ever so slightly to the side in interest.  “It’s okay. I lose my brother sometimes too. I’ll help you find who you lost, if you want!” I said, nonchalantly, as if Castor’s exclamation - and performance - was the most normal thing in the world.  

I stepped back to get a better look at him - or to offer him an opportunity to stand up.  Everly circled impatiently above, having spotted something further out in the waves.  My silver ears snapped to immediate attention and I squinted as I tried to make out the strange shape in the water - too big to be a fish, but I just wasn’t quite sure what it could be. 

“Hey! Look at that!” I exclaimed, wading further into the water to get a better look at the spotted sea creature swimming circles in the shallow water.  I looked back to the boy to see if he’d seen it too.  “I’ve never seen one of those before! Do you know what it is?”

“I wonder what it is,” I wondered aloud, standing in knee deep in the cool ocean water.